Filing-case.



No. 879,944. PATENTED PEB. 25, 1908. H. B'. CLARKE.

FILING SASL APPLICATION HLBD FEB. 2o, 190e.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATBNTED FEB. 25, 1908.

H. B. CLARKE.

FILING' CASE.

.ulnzzoA/rlolwA I ILED FHL-zo. 190e.

' Iwmi" No. 879,944. PATENTED FEB. 25, 1908. H. B. CLARKE.

FILING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED 1112.20, 1906. l

s SHEETS-sum1' a.

xv Il ,l I I i lr wwsmf Y @MW/@0% HENRY B. cLARKnoF HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS.

FILING-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25, 1908.

Application led February 20. 1906. Serial No. l302.133.

` the following is aspeciiication.

This invention relates to improvements in filing-cases foroard indexes and analogous purposesyiand among .itssalientobjects are to provide an expansible card or tablet receptaele, which as it expands veeets a shifting-movement of each compartment relative dockets stored in t e its,

to the connected compartments in such manner as Ato expose a series `of index tabs, and as it con-tractsv approachesY more and more nearly :a right .angled rectangular form which can be most conveniently and compaotly housed or stored.; to provide in conjunction with such an expanding case, mechanism for supl orti-ng 4it in any desired position between filllly collapsed position and fully expanded position; to provide asup ortin mechanism of the character referre to W ich may be shifted or actuated by afoot lever in an extremely convenient manner; to provide in conjunction with such a mechanism a desklike housing which not only suitably houses the mechanism but forms in fact a desk convenient .for writin i u on or handling the ing case; to so -construct and support the ling case Ior cases that it or they may be bodily lifted from Ithe vcabinet and stored in a vault or other suitable stora e place; and in general toY provide a simple urable and eflective mechanism of the character referred to.

The invention consists in the matters hereinaiter described, and more particularly pointed out in the ap ended claims.

In the drawings- I4 igure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a iling case emi bodying my invention, the view' taken a proXImately on line l-lo Fig. 2 and loo ing rearwardly; Fig. 2 is a/longitudinal ver- -tical section taken on the indirect line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view the cabinet., as seen in Figs. 9 and 10; Fig. 5

is a detail side elevation lof one of the filing f cases removed from the cabinet, shown in full linesvcollapsed and in dotted lines extended; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan detail of the cabinet shown in Fig. 5; Figs. 7 and 8 are details of one -of the identifying tabs attached to the up er ed e of each com artment; Fig. 9 is a iiont .elevation of a ca inet equipped with a plurality of iilinglcases yand with a shifting table; the central portion of the cabinet being broken out to reduce the height of the figure; 10 is an end-elevation of the parts shown 1n Fig. 9.

Describing firs-t thedevice as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, l designates as a whole a suitable cabinet made to accommodate a single liling case, designated as a whole 2, and insamuch as the width of the liling `lare outwardly and downwardly from a point below the bottom. of the Illing case. The cabinet may be made in any preferred or suitable manner, being shown in the present instance as provided with the inclosing sides 3 and ends 4 and 5, respectively, and with a hinged cover 6, which when the filing case is in exposed osition, and in use, will be turned over bac wardly into the dotted 'position indicated in Fig. 2.

The filing case 2, as best seen in detail Figs. 5 and 6, consists of a plurality of compartments which are formed by a series of division plates as 9, 9 and 9 and a series of vend plates as 7 and 8; the end plates being connected with each other in pairs by means u per and lower connecting rods 10 and 11. 'I e compartments are alternately shorter and longer so as to telescope upon each other, and the end walls 7 and 8 project forwardly and rearwardly of each division plate, lso as to telescope upon each other. The end walls 7 and 8 are made oi sufficient width so that when fully extended they still slightly overlap at their edges, as best seen in dotted lines in Fig. 5. In order to effect the expansion of the filing case in such manner that the divison plates of the compartments are at all times maintained parallel with each other and upright, and are also caused .-to shift relatively to each other as the case expands, so as to expose the upper ed es of the contents of each compartment and t e identifying tablet attached thereto, the several ments' in such manner as to extendobliquely downwardly and rearwardly. Commencing at the front lower corner at each side of the case, short links 12 extend from the front fixed plate connected with the front end plate and are connected wlththe lower ends of the next orrst movable end Wall; a second pair of longer links are similarly connected with the iixed end wall and the second movable end wall, and so on, each succeedingv pair of links being connected to a succeeding pair of end walls.

In the construction shown the first palr of full length links extend from the upper corners of the fixed end lates 'at the front rearwardly and downwar ly to the fourth movable end plates, and the succeeding full length links extend from the upper ends of the movable end plates in a simllar manner to the -lowerends of other movable end plates short links at the front.

equally distant. The series of successively shorter links at the rear end of the case are connected with the rearmost end wall in a manner exactly the reverse of the series of Each ofthe longer links is ivotally connected at its center, asindicates atl 12, to the corresponding underlying end plate, and in a slmilar manner those of the shorter links which are long.

enoughto overlap an intermediate end wall are plvotally connected to such intermediate end walls.

' connections described, expanding'movement Y similar bail 16 which engages and rests within a yoke 17 forming one member of the mechanism about to be described. Skeleton bottom supports are provided for the several l compartments, these su ports being so concollapsed to its shortest structed as not to inte ere with the expansion and contraction of the case. To `this end ltwo stra ,-like bars 18 are pivotally connected wit of the ling case and arranged to extend through suitable apertures in the several back members or partition plates 9 and overlying the remaining cross bars 11, and in a preclsely similar way two other bars 19 are connected with the rearmost lower cross bar 11 and arranged to overlie the bars or straps 18. rlhe le th of each pair of bars is e ual to the lengt of the fi ensio'ns, and when the filing case is ex anded these bars slide outwardly upon eac other, as indicated clearly in Fig. 5, thus supporting the As aresult of the parallel link' the front lower cross bar 11 y cabinet W en contents oi the compartments. ii addition tothe telesco ing bars 18 and 19, each end late is desira ly provided with an inturned ange 20 which assists in su porting the contents of the receptacles, t e length of these flanges being e pual to the width of the compartments when ully collapsed. These flan es 20 may obviously be omitted if desire. Conveniently hooks 21 are provided, one at each side of the iiling case, for holding the latter in collapsed form. The upper edge of each division member or back 9 1s deslrably provided with a tab 22 for designatingl the contents of the compartment, as shown clearly in detail Fig. 7.

Describing now the mechanism of the cabinet whereby the lin case may be expanded and collapsed whi e mounted within .the cabinet, 23 designates a cross shaft journaled in suitable supports 24 mounted upon the inner side walls of the cabinet and carryin Upon t e same shaft is mounted a small drum 26 around which is wound and secured a sap 27; the other end thereof being exten e downwardly to, and connected with, a foot lever 28 at a point intermediate the length of the latter. The foot lever is pivoted at one end to the rear side of the cabinet,

as indicated at 29, and rojects at its other end out through. a suitalile vertical slot'30 in the front wall of the cabinet and terminates in a pedal. Adjacent to the shank of the pedal isl ivoted a laterally Swingin latch 31 providedwith a toe-piece 32 wherey it may be moved to engage and hold the foot lever depressed.

a gear 25 upon the shaft.

33 designates a rack mounted in-suitable y l guides 34 to'extend arallel with the direction of expansion of t e filing case and intermesh with the rear side of the gear 25. The upper end of the rack 33 carries the yoke' 17 hereinbefore referred to, said yoke being r' idly mounted upon the rack. a

ith the mechanism constructed as described, the expansion of the 'iiling case is effected by sim ly depressin the foot lever which rotates t e gear 25 an thus shifts the rack upwardly through its with it the rear end of the means of the latch 31 the foot lever may be 'deS Carrying lilng case. By

locked in any desired position. The co n A the rack to descend and the filing case to' collapse.

In Figs. 4 to 10, inclusive,is shown a cabii net which is in its gpneral construction similar i to that just descrl ed, being made, however, to accommodate a number of lm' cases (four as shown) arranged side by si e, and each filing case provided with its independent expansion mechanism and corresponding foot lever, as shown clearly in the drawing.

l Y tending across As a further feature of improvement I previde a paii` of guide rails, as 35, 36 and 37 38, and rear sides ofthe mounted upon the front cabinet which serve to su `port a traveling 5 table, designated as a who e 39. This table or support is shown as of skeletonlforin comprising parallel end frame stra s 40 and 41, and suitable cross connecting ars or straps 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46. From the front lower side of the skeleton table an arm 47 extends downwardly and is then deiiected horizon tally to form the main frame member of a carriage carrying a pair of wheels 48 which it between and traverse the track rails 35 and 36. In a substantially similar manner an arm 49 extends downwardly from the rear side of the skeleton table frame and vis deflected to form the main frame member of a carriage likewise equipped with wheels 48 which trav- 2Q erse the back rails 37 and 38. These tracks extend the full Width of the cabinet, and accordingly the table may be shifted to any desired position along the cabinet, as indicated clearly in Fig. 9.

From the foregoingdescriptio'n it will be understood that l accomplish the severalobjects of the invention and provide an extremely practical and convenient filing device suitable for general use. An important feature of advantage resides -in the convenience with which the liling cases may be liFted out of the cabinet and stored in a vault, as would commonly be done in banking business and under other conditions where the documents filed are of great value. rlhe contents of the filing cabinet are, of course, in no wise disturbed or disarranged, and after the iiling cases have been placed in the cabinet they are instantly placedin accessible o position by simply shifting them into extended osition.

lt Wi be understood that the details oi construction and arrangement may be modiiied without departing from the invention.

l claim as my invention: 1. A. collapsible ling case, comprising a series of partition plates, parallel links con- 'necting said plates at each end, each link explates at each side,

said lates whereby they are maintained para el and sup orted one from the other,

and a collapsible}l ottom mechanism extending between the partition plates.

\ by they and connected to the ends oi. 50 two or more of said plates whereby they are ut substantially each link extending across and connected to the ends of two or more oi' 3.. A collapsible filing ease, comprising, a series of partition* plates, a seriesY of corresponding side plates arranged to overlap andA telescope upon each other, parallel links c onnecting said partition plates at each side, each link extending across and. connected to the ends .of two or more of said lates4 where are maintained par el and supported one from the other, and bettombars` lconnected with the front and rear ends of the case and arranged to slide past each other asthe filing case is' collapsed, the combined length of each pair of front and rear baisbe ing equal to or greater than the extended. length of the bottom o'r` the file.

4. In combination, a colla sible iling case comprising a series of verticaHyv disposed partition plates, parallel links connecting said plates at each side and maintaining them in substantial parallelism 'during their colla sing and` extending movements, a colla si le bottom connected with said partition pllates, and a supporting mechanism comprising a. stationary front member upon which the iront end of the filing case is supported and a mov- `ablesup orting member carrying the rear end of the ing case and guided to move inl a. direction parallel with the line of expansion of the filing case. Y 5. In combination, a collapsible filing case comprising a series of partition plates and corresponding side plates at each end of each partition plate, parallel links connectingl said plates at each side and arranged to effecty an erlpanding and collapsing movement of 100 the ing case in a direction oblique to the vertical,l a support arranged to hold the ironteend of the case in definite position, and manually actuated extending mechanism o erativelyv connected with the rear end` oft 10.5 t e case and operable to extend and collapse l the latter.

6. In combination, a collapsible iiling casev com rising aseries of upright partition plates and ont and rear end plates, sideplatesconnected with the respective partition plates at each 'of their. ends, aseries' oi obliquelydownwardly and rearwardly extending par- ,f allel links connecting said artition and front and rear end plates vat eadli side of the case, each link extending across and connected to the ends of two or. ,more of said plates whereby they are maintained parallel and supported one from the other, a collapsible bottom to said case, a supportin frame, means for.120 yiixedly attaching one en of the iilling case to said frame, and means for shiftin the filing case from collapsedintg extende position and vice versa.

7. In combination with an expansible 125 clined bar mounted to reciprocate in suitable 130 attaching the front `throug .foot lever and operative connections between the foot lever and gear whereby depression of the footlever rotates the gear.` A

9. In combination with an expansible filing case, a cabinet provided with a removable top, abracket upon the inner front wall of; the cabinet to which the front end of the Y iilln case is detachably connected, a rearwar l y and upwardly inclined rack .bar mounted to reci rocate endwise in suitable guides within said) cabinet, a yol-'e operatively connecting said rack bar with the rear. end of g case, a shaft, a gear and drum upon said shaft, afootlever, and astrap operatively connected with the drum and foot lever whereby the de ression of the foot lever rotates thedrum an elevates the rack bar.

10. I n horizontally disposed track rails mounted upon the front and rear sides of said cabinet, carriages traversing said track rails, and a table arranged to travel above the cabinet and provided with front and rear leg-extensions connected with said carria es.

11. In combination with a 'ng cabinet,- horizontally dis osed pairs of track rails mounted upon t e front and rear sides, respectively, of said cabinet, and a shiftable table mechanism mounted'to traverse said track rails com rising a framel arran ed above the top o? the cabinet and provided combination with a filing cabinet,

with front and rear downwardly extending `leg-extensions e'ach terminating in a horizontal bar-like extension forming a carriage body and. each vcarriage body provided with a pair of horizontall separated supportin wheels'o erating an confined between sai track rai s.

12.: A collapsible filing case, com rising a series of partition plates each provided with end-closure plates arranged to overlap each other, connecting said partition plates and parallel links su porting said end closure plates, at each en each link extending across and connected to the ends of two or more of said plates whereby they are maintained arallel and supported one from the ot er, a collapsible but substantially inflexible bottom mechanism extending between the partition plates and a supportmg mechanism com rising a stationary front member upon whic 'the front end of the fllin case is detachably suported, an upward y and rear-v wardly shifta le supportmg member carryin the rear end of t e filing case, and means ho ding said shiftable member adjustably and ri idly in position.

13. n combination a `collapsible case comprising a series of vertically dispose partition plates, means iiexibly connecting said plates at each side of the case, a collapsible bottom connected with the respective partition lplates and a supporting and extendin mec anism, comprising a stationary mem er upon which one end of the filing c'ase fis supported, a movable su porting member carrying the opposite en of the filing case, supporting member to reciprocate in direct lines and in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined direction.

HENRY B. CLARKE.

iilin A and means guiding said movable 

